NEW BOOK: PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION TICKETS, V1

This handbook is the only comprehensive guide to collecting presidential inauguration tickets. This first volume catalogs all ticket varieties for the inaugurations of President Donald J. Trump in 2017 and 2025. All tickets are shown in full-color and in great detail. The guide contains a checklist to help collectors complete their sets. Also included are copies of the president's inaugural addresses.

A Brief History of Presidential Inauguration Tickets

Presidential inauguration ceremony tickets have long served as both functional credentials and enduring mementos of seminal moments in American political life. While public attendance at inaugurations dates to the nation's founding, printed admission tickets became necessary as the events grew larger in size and scope.

The modern system for producing and distributing inauguration tickets began with the formation of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (JCCIC) in 1901. Established by the Congress every four years, the JCCIC is responsible for planning and coordinating the swearing-in ceremony and related programming. Among its duties are the design, manufacture, and dissemination of official admission tickets.

Since 1913, the JCCIC has partnered with the Government Publishing Office (formerly, the Government Printing Office) to produce the inaugural ceremony tickets. Nearly all tickets are dispensed through the congressional offices of Senators and Representatives, with each member allocated a number to dispense among constituents. Tickets for dignitaries and others seated on or near the platform are managed by the JCCIC in coordination with the president's inaugural committee.

Beyond their functional role, inauguration tickets have become prized collectibles. Early printed examples are rare, particularly those predating the JCCIC era. Collectors often seek full, unused tickets, complete with stubs and envelopes, as well as various section colors and print variations. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the secondary market has grown in recent decades. For many, inauguration tickets serve not only as beautiful collectibles, but also as tangible connections to the pageantry and peaceful transition of presidential power.

The Chiarello Number

Despite the existence of a robust market for presidential inauguration tickets, there has yet to be a concerted effort to assemble a uniform and comprehensive catalog. This guide endeavors to fill that void by assigning each ticket a unique "Chiarello Number." The Chiarello Number consists of the year of issue, a capital letter denoting the color, and a number indicating the variety. For example, Chiarello Number 2025.Y2 refers to the second variety of the Yellow Ticket issued for the 2025 inauguration. A complete reference and price guide is included at the end of this volume.

 

Other Inaugural Collectibles

This guide has a narrow focus by design. It does not catalog presidential inaugural collectibles beyond those tickets issued to the public by the JCCIC. Collectors may yet be interested in the official presidential inaugural medals, the commemorative covers and license plates, and the parade and ball passes. Those items and more are detailed in other volumes.

For more information, or to order, see:
A Collector's Guide to Presidential Inauguration Tickets: Donald J. Trump - 2017 & 2025 (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GCVJLVMD)

To read the earlier E-Sylum articles, see:
NEW BOOK: OFFICIAL INAUGURAL MEDALS (https://www.coinbooks.org/v24/esylum_v24n02a03.html)
NEW BOOK: OFFICIAL INAUGURAL MEDALS, 2ND ED. (https://www.coinbooks.org/v24/esylum_v24n36a03.html)

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